Finding Love
by PauCev
Summary: Love can be found in the most unlikely places, and Hermione is about to recover her faith and find her true love, all in one night! RR


**A/N:** Ok, this is a one-shot not related to my other story. I just felt like writing something a bit different, mainly pointless fluff but maybe a bit deeper than my other one-shots. I hope so anyway… And I really hope you like it.

**Finding Love**

It had been a beautiful ceremony. The couple looked so happy, and everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves. She was sitting at her table, alone, with an untouched piece of cake in front of her. Her date was somewhere in the room, hitting on a younger girl. She didn't blame hi, after all he had agreed to go with her only as a friend, so she wouldn't look too pathetic. The deal was that if he found someone else to go home with, he was entitled to do it. It was a wedding, the perfect place to meet someone. However, if it was the wedding of one of your best friends, then there was no hope to meet anyone. She already new more than half the guests and none of them qualified as dating material. The rest were either too old or too strange to even bother. And she wasn't looking for a date, she didn't need one. She only wished old maids would stop staring at her and commenting how sad it was for a young woman to be alone at a wedding.

The reason she didn't have a proper date for the event was that only three weeks ago she had broken up with her two-ear boyfriend. It had been pretty nasty. She had walked in on him while he was kissing his secretary. Until that moment she had thought he was the perfect man: serious, responsible, intelligent, funny, interesting, good with children and incredibly handsome. Of course he was cheating on her! Once or twice her friends had tried to warn her this might happen, but she had been too blinded by his charms. It appeared that everyone but her knew about his past. Apparently he had cheated on every girlfriend he had had. He was the typical successful, single man. He was always on a serious relationship with an appropriate witch his family approved of, and while she was at home cooking for him, he was having fun with one girl or another, and some times two at a time. He was famous in London and in many other places for his many not-so-good deeds. How on earth could she have been so short-sighted, she had no idea. And to think she had been about moving in with him, may be even marrying him. It was a good thing she had decided to surprise him for lunch, otherwise who knows how many other secretaries he would have _hired_ behind her back. It hadn't been a difficult decision to make. Once the scales fell from her eyes, she realized that Sean was not at all what he pretended to be. She suddenly saw all the chauvinist statements he made, and not only speaking. He was also arrogant, conceited and pompous. In fact, after she had dried her eyes and got herself together, she had written a note to Sean's secretary to thank her for opening her eyes.

Now Sean was part of her past, and never ever was he going to return to her life, no matter how hard she tried. All her true friends had applauded her decision and because they loved her so much they had bit the 'it told you so' remarks. So now she was alone, and not looking to get into a relationship for the moment. It was only during moments like this one she wished she still had a boyfriend. She knew she didn't need a man to be happy, but seeing all the couples dancing so close, murmuring words of love and kindness made her feel lonely.

She let out a quiet sight and picked up her fork to start on the delicious looking vanilla cake on the plate. She wasn't really hungry; she just wanted something to distract herself from the dance floor. She had chosen the table furthest from the spotlight and she tried to keep her misery off her face; she didn't want to ruin her best friend wedding. In fact her two best friends wedding. It felt really weird to think of them as a married couple because they had been on and off every since they had got together, yet at the same time they were so right to each other. Oh yes, it had been a beautiful ceremony and she had been the most proper maid of honor. Her soft pink dress was nicer than the ones of the other bride's maid, well being best friend with the bride did have its benefits. Soon it would be time to give her speech. She was supposed to talk about eternal love, and she did not know how she would make the words sound believable when she herself had never experienced true love. She had thought she had loved Sean, but that hadn't been love, it had been a lasting infatuation if you wish, but nothing more.

She gave another quiet sight and played with the topping of her cake.

"Didn't you mother teach you not to play with your food?" said a man's voice behind her. She didn't need to turn round to know who that voice belonged to.

"Yes," she answered still twirling her fork in the whipped cream. "But I tend to ignore every instruction anyone gives me. You know me, I was born to break the rules."

The man laughed heartily and took the empty chair next to hers. Without asking for permission her removed the plate from its original position and started on the cake she had barely touched.

"Hey! I was playing with that," she complained moodily.

He merely lifted his shoulder to show that he didn't care and continued savoring the cake.

"So," he said with the last piece still on his mouth. "What is the most beautiful bride's maid doing here in the back hiding from everyone? And alone too"

"I am not a bride's maid, I'm the maid of honor," she answered indignantly. "Twelve years of loyal friendship granted me that right."

"Nah, I don't think that's the reason you are the maid of honor. For that matter you have been a much loyal friend to the groom, but I don't think you'd look too good on a best man's outfit."

She couldn't help but laugh. He always had that effect on her, no matter how grave the situation was, or how wrongly he was behaving; he seemed to find the way to take a giggle from her at the very least.

"But you haven't answered my question," he insisted.

"I'm alone because my date has decided to chase as many minors as he can in hope of getting one home."

"You know perfectly well that is not the reason you are alone. Even if your date was not here you could find a man to dance only by snapping your fingers."

"Well, I've never been much of a snapper."

He rolled his eyes. She could be so unbearably snappy when she wanted.

"Come on! I'm bored. Let's dance!"

"Thanks for the invitation, but no thank you. I'm fine here."

"I don't care if you are fine or not, I've told you. I'm bored."

"And where's your date. I don't think she would like it if she knew you are asking another female being to dance. She appeared to me to be a little over-possessive."

"A little? That woman is completely crazy. She made a huge scene just because I was hugging my aunt Muriel. That girl is definitely not for me, so I've ditched her."

"You ditched someone at a wedding?" she asked in awe.

"Yeap. It wasn't hard. We had only been seeing each other a couple of weeks and nobody really knew her. So now I'm dateless and apparently so are you, what brings us back to my original request: let's dance?"

"Why me?" she asked eyeing he doubtfully.

"Why not you? I've told you, you are the most beautiful bride's made – ok, ok made of honor - and I'm famous for dancing only with beautiful women. I wouldn't want to ruin that reputation now, would I?"

"That is the lamest excuse I have ever heard!" she answered laughing.

"Well, 'why me?' was a terrific cliché and I said nothing about it. Come on! I love this song, please? Consider it a favor to one of your dearest friends," he begged with puppy eyes.

"Since when have you been one of my dearest friends?"

"That was hurtful," he said taking his hand to his chest dramatically. "How can you say such a thing when I have held you in the most up esteem ever since I met you? You have just laid an arrow across my heart causing and irreparable wound, you-"

"Ok, cut the drama. I'll dance with you," she said standing up.

"Knew you'd give in to my charms in the end," he said cheerfully escorting her to the dance floor.

Once they got there, however, the song changed into a slow one. He took her firmly by the waist with his left hand and grabbed her left hand with his right, he pulled her closer and they started to dance slowly to the tune.

"It isn't as bad as you thought it would be now, is it?"

"No, it isn't. I have to admit you are a very good dancer."

"It is one of my uncountable qualities," he started pompously. But it wasn't in the same way Sean would have described his – according to him – endless skills. He made it not to sound self-important, but to make her laugh.

"Oh shut up! Let's just dance," she said resting her head on his shoulder.

"You know, I think you are the only woman who managed to shut me up," he said thoughtfully.

"Do you know the meaning of shut up?" she asked mockingly. "It means to be silent, not talking, not uttering a sound."

He smiled and held her a bit closer into a more comfortable position.

"How are you 'Mione?" he asked softly.

"Why do you ask?" Her eyes were closed and her voice quiet.

"Because three weeks ago you found your boyfriend with his secretary and that must have been hard. And you have spent half of your best friends wedding sitting alone in the blue. I just want to make sure you are all right." He did sound concerned about her.

"I'm fine. I just have to get used to being alone."

"I wouldn't worry about it. You won't be alone for too long."

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, it is my experience that smart beautiful women don't stay single for too long."

"That's sweet," she said, still not opening her eyes or raising her voice.

"No, that's true."

"Thank you."

The song ended, and another slow one started. They continued dancing not talking. Both of them were too comfortable to move.

"Thank you for the flowers," said Hermione suddenly.

"What flowers?" he asked in his best innocent tone.

"The one's you sent me the day after I broke up with Sean. The lilies."

"How did you know they were from me?"

"Easy, you are the only person who knows they are my favorite flowers. Not even Ron or Harry. I remember telling you once. I can't remember what we were talking about though or why I would say it."

"I was last summer. I asked you if you knew what would make a love potion stronger and you told me that the strongest love potions were personalized ones. You said that adding something that the person cherished would make it almost insuperable. Like a drop of his or her favorite perfume or a petal from his or her favorite flower, 'in my case lilies' you said."

"Oh, I remember now. I can't believe _you_ remembered it, it seems such a futile observation."

He just shrugged his shoulder again and continued dancing. Hermione was lost in her own thoughts, so oblivious to the world around her that she didn't notice that when the song ended a new one didn't follow. Everybody was staring at Ron, who was standing next to the bride's and groom's table holding a goblet. The moment for speeches had come.

Hermione let go of her dancing partner and listened to Ron praise Harry's and Ginny's love. Her heart was beating fast. It always did that when she had to address and audience. Ron finished his speech and everyone applauded politely. He kissed Ginny on the chick and hugged Harry before moving away from the table so that Hermione could speak.

She walked nervously towards the spot and took a goblet from the table. She took a deep breath and smiled.

"I don't believe that Harry and Ginny are meant for each other; I don't believe that they were born one for the other; I don't believe that they are a match made in heave and I don't believe that fate brought them together. And this is because I know that they looked for each other and they found each other. Hence what makes them so perfect together. No prophecy or destiny's call can beat one person finding himself or herself in another. That is my definition of true love. That is what I see when I look at Harry and Ginny together. So now I raise my goblet to the newlyweds…"

There was a loud round of applause all around the room and more than a couple of women had tears in their eyes. Hermione hugged both Ginny and Harry, still finding it hard to believe that they were now husband and wife but thoroughly pleased that her best friends had found that special someone who made their lives complete.

Music started again and the bravest couples approached the dance floor. Hermione walked behind the main table and away from the mass of people. Somehow she had managed to sound like she believed in her words. And suddenly she realized that she did. Somewhere in between being alone at her table in the back and giving her speech she had recovered her faith in love. She was sitting in a corner, following the rhythm of the song with her feet. Her long dress brushed the floor as she slowly moved her foot up and down. She was singing distractedly not really paying attention to anything around her. She felt at ease with the world. She didn't know were this feeling of peace and happiness came from, but she was not eager to find out either.

"There you are," he said spotting her. "I found you."

"Hu?" she said focusing on the man in front of her.

"I've been looking all over for you. That was a great speech."

"Thanks," she said blushing.

"It really was… So, wanna dance?"

This time he didn't need to put on a scene to convince her. She merely nodded and allowed him to guide her to the dance floor. Apparently her head was full of unanswered questions because she couldn't stop wondering why it felt so right to be dancing so close to him. True, she had never danced with him before. Why was that? They had been together at countless parties; they had attended balls and dances, even office parties.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked softly. It occurred to her that she had never heard that tone on him.

"That this is the first time we have ever danced together," she answered honestly.

"Yes, but this is not the first time I have ever asked you to dance with me."

"It isn't?" she looked confused. "When did you?"

"It was Harry's sixteenth birthday. You were talking to Ginny and I asked you if you would honor me with a dance."

"That does not count! Nobody else was dancing, there wasn't music. I thought you were joking."

"Since when do I need music to dance?" he asked geniously.

"True," she answered. She didn't want to speak any longer. She just wanted to dance and enjoy the moment.

"It's a pity it took me so long to find you."

"What?" Once again she was lost.

"We missed a couple of good songs while I was looking for you."

Perhaps she was reading between the lines something that wasn't there, but something told her that that was not what he meant. She raised her head to look at him.

"The important thing is that you found me," she said attentively.

"Yeah, who would have thought…"

"That we would find each other," she finished the phrase for him.

Fred held her even closer and kissed her on the forehead before she rested her head back in her shoulder. As they danced the night away some of the guests commented their finding, some never noticed. The important thing was that once again they were in presence of true love.

**THE END**

**A/N:** So, how was it? You are the best judges!


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